(CNN) - Joe Biden says he has some sympathy for George Bush after the president became the target of a shoe-throwing Iraqi journalist – but the Vice president-elect struck a tougher tone on Dick Cheney, the man he is set to replace.

“It's presumptuous to feel sorry for another man,” Biden told CNN’s Larry King in an interview set to air Monday night. “But I feel somewhat – I feel somewhat badly for him. I think the incident in Iraq was – was unfortunate, that guy throwing the shoes. It was just – it was just uncalled for and was – I think that President Bush and, unlike Vice President Cheney, is, upon reflection beginning to acknowledge some of the serious, if not mistakes, misjudgments that he made.”

Watch Biden on CNN's Larry King Live tonight at 9.m. ET

It’s the latest in a series of swipes between the current vice president and the man who will replace him, and stands in marked contrast to the largely complimentary comments President-elect Barack Obama and Bush have traded since Election Day.

Biden – who referred to Cheney during the campaign as one of the most “dangerous” vice presidents in U.S. history – told ABC Sunday that Cheney’s opinions on executive power were “dead wrong,” and had not been healthy for the country. He pledged to “restore the balance” between the president and vice president.

Cheney himself told an interviewer Sunday that "if [Biden] wants to diminish the office of the vice president, that's obviously his call."

In response, the vice president told FOX News that "if [Biden] wants to diminish the office of the vice president, that's obviously his call. President-elect Obama will decide what he wants in a vice president and, apparently, from the way they're talking about it, he does not expect him to have as consequential a role as I have had during my time."

soundoff(262 Responses)

John Q

I was surprised to read the harsh words that are being volleyed between The Dark, and Good Force. It's entertaining to watch, but I'd rather Joe talk in more depth, the goals that have been defined in the first half of Obama's first term. Americans already know Cheney doesn't care what people think of him, he'll lock himself in a 10K acre ranch with his Saudi buddies, and belly dancers and laugh at the rest of us, as they count their earnings in investments of Chinese toy manufacturers who ship lead toy's for US children. Thanks Dick, don't shoot the rain deer, because Santa left you a brick of coal.

December 22, 2008 03:53 pm at 3:53 pm |

Ken

@Kevin in Ohio: You are one serious neo-moron. You make it up as you go - fairytales to fit your "mood" - typical rightwing sewage overflow. The ONE fact that we know is that 9/11 happened on the watch of YOUR idiot-in-charge. Since you are so interested in stories, let me tell you one - one that is much more probable than the baseless story you tell, given what we know now: Not only would there not have been several 9/11s under Gore's watch, it is likely that there wouldn't have been any at all. You see Gore and his people would have been much more likely to actually pay attention to and follow the evidence of an upcoming attack that existed before 9/11....evidence that was all but ignored by the yahoos hired by the ignoramous YOU elected to office. Your dink-brained President was at the time too busy following his conviction on reviving Star Wars. Yes, he stuck to his convictions alright, the WRONG - dead WRONG - convictions. And what again was that "conviction" that led us into Iraq????

And no, I do not expect you to be quiet under an Obama administration. You rightwing empty wagons were mindlessly flapping-at-the-yap all during the Clinto adminstitration as he dragged your ingnorant behinds kicking and screaming into a prospering economy. Vacuous drivel...that is your nature.... it takes no brains.....and I'd expect nothing less of your ilk in the next 8 years. At the very least, you serve as a reminder of what America would be like if the terrorists won.

December 22, 2008 03:53 pm at 3:53 pm |

Roger

UMMMM...PARDON ME????

HOW ABOUT BIDEN'S MISJUDGEMENTS?

December 22, 2008 03:54 pm at 3:54 pm |

jim d

The sooner we're rid of Cheney, the better. I hope his mind and body survive long enough to absorb the slings and arrows sure to come toward him and his legacy of political chicanery. He makes Spiro Agnew look good.

December 22, 2008 03:55 pm at 3:55 pm |

Alan

Let's see...history will be kinder to GW but Obama is already about to be indicted? I see Rush and his hate-mongering right-wing radical radio friends have been at it again.

People who say history will be kinder to GW have NO IDEA the magnitude of incompetence he has displayed. The damage he's done (with Cheney's help) is far greater than Nixon's and Nixon never HAS been remembered fondly as far as I can see...at least HE had some foreign relations success to fall back on.

Not until people have to stand in line to buy beer will these "couch intellectuals", the people who will make sure history remembers GW fondly, start to REALLY feel the pinch.

December 22, 2008 03:55 pm at 3:55 pm |

gg

cheneywas president 41/2 years bush 31/2

December 22, 2008 03:55 pm at 3:55 pm |

Jeff

Mr. Cheney is one man I will refuse to fly my American flag at half-mast for when his time comes. I think a star-spangled pig-roast would be more fitting.

December 22, 2008 03:57 pm at 3:57 pm |

kaz

Chenny will pay no price for his actions only because he is in US, we dont hold our politicians (specially the ex-politicians) accountable. I dont know what to say about President Bush, It is unfortunate that we dont have an IQ test for the poiticians before the election.

Mack – Of course. He hasn't been sworn IN yet. Heaven forbid he should begin prep work in advance. Guys like you make America great!!!

December 22, 2008 03:58 pm at 3:58 pm |

Jody

My whole family and I would love to throw big ol' dirty work boots (soaked in cow manure and urine) at both Bush and Cheny and force them to stand there and take it. However, they deserve much, much worse for everything they have done to my beloved country. It will take a long, long time before we can erase their dirty deeds and evil war crimes. Go Obama. I pray he can get us out of this mess.

December 22, 2008 03:59 pm at 3:59 pm |

Matt in CT

What's next Biden, you going to start talking about Cheney's mother too?

Grow up

December 22, 2008 04:00 pm at 4:00 pm |

Dale Nelsen

You people just don't get it. We needed to be in Iraq for the sole purpose of gettting saddam, who killed thousands of his own people just cause they didn't agree with him, out of power. Then since we took him out of power we needed to be there, and still do, to keep stability in the country. Now that there is stablility we can start the withdrawl. I would say that the war strategy put together was not a very well thought out one. We should have secured areas before advancing.
A second note everyone seems to live under this notion that we did this alone. That is far from the truth. Just because Germany and France weren't on board doesn't mean the rest of the world isn't. These two countries weren't on board because they were making millions off the oil for food program and lookin the other way when saddam wasn't following the rules. Sometimes actions need to be taken and this was one of those times.

December 22, 2008 04:00 pm at 4:00 pm |

Cheney

Joe go F- yourself.

December 22, 2008 04:01 pm at 4:01 pm |

CanIcallyouJoe

Bush, Cheney, and all their Neo-con Amero-fascist cronies MUST be brought up on war crimes.

If they are not, then a great injustice will be done to history.

No one in the Bush regime is innocent. Habeas Corpus can only go so far... especially when they have revoked it.

Prosecute the lot of them. Now.

December 22, 2008 04:01 pm at 4:01 pm |

Michael

Under normal circumstances, i might feel sorry for Bush. His presidency is an unqualified failure. But, when I think of the anti-Dixie Chick mentality that he encouraged during his first term, then I realize that he brought his failure and the condemnation of a country onto himself.

December 22, 2008 04:02 pm at 4:02 pm |

Linda

I'm losing respect for Biden. Bush and Cheney were in this together. Why should the Chief be excused and not his subordinate?. Also, there seems to be evidence that his puppy may have come from a mother in a puppy mill. I'm not a crazy Peta person, but anyone who has a clue of the abusive treatments that dogs undergo in puppy mills would be more careful as to where their dog comes from.

December 22, 2008 04:02 pm at 4:02 pm |

Gojimom

Cheney is the equivalent of Mr. Burns from The Simpsons. His only contributions to the office of VP is a legacy of fear-mongering, abuse of power and lack of empathy. He and Karl Rove should get married.

December 22, 2008 04:02 pm at 4:02 pm |

Gil

To Kevin from Ohio! After reading the far majority of the comments here about cheney and bush do you get it? Vile, evil and ruthless!

December 22, 2008 04:04 pm at 4:04 pm |

goofus

"Dick" Cheney and Ronald "Dum" Rumsfeld blew it for the Bush administration. How these Nixon-era throw backs even got into the administration is a mystery...and I think will be revealled as the dark-side of the Republican party's machinations, one that destroyed the party itself.

December 22, 2008 04:05 pm at 4:05 pm |

Alan

Kevin in Ohio December 22nd, 2008 3:11 pm ET

Said:

"Bush was the RIGHT man at the right time…. can anyone really say we would have not had several 9/11's by now if Gore had come to power??? I shudder to think…..Gore would have been an appeaser and a poll-follower. Bush stuck to his convictions and principles… and Thank God for that.

For all you Bush-Cheney bashers out there…. do you really expect us to be quiet when Obama and Biden start to make mistakes????? God knows they will……."

Sorry, Kevin. No one can say Gore would have handled things the way YOU said. I DO know Al Gore went on to pick up a Nobel Peace Prize. Bush stared at a children's book, reading, stunned, when 9/11 happened. And no we don't expect you to be quiet when Obama and Biden take office. You're ALREADY all over them and they haven't even taken office.

I wish there was a way, when America is finally righted again, to leave people like YOU out of the benefits.

December 22, 2008 04:05 pm at 4:05 pm |

Ben

Why is it whenever you may disagree with someone your a "hate monger?" That has got to be the most over-used, disingenuous phrase ever. We have to start disagreeing without demonizing each other. Geesh.

December 22, 2008 04:06 pm at 4:06 pm |

EVERYMAN

@ Matt

YOU PROVE THE POINT.

December 22, 2008 04:06 pm at 4:06 pm |

Steven

Ken....are you....ummmm...how can I say it nicely....mentally challenged?

9/11 was PLANNED under Bill Clinton....for three years.....

What do you think all the terrorists just showed up on a vacation visa.

Read the report before you spout your ignorance

December 22, 2008 04:06 pm at 4:06 pm |

frodo

Biden is just being cautious with his quotes. We'll have to wait until after the inauguration for him to go back to his mean, loud, hateful ramblings.